The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-11-03
SETH DAKIN'S "FIGGERIN.u y


up his mind to marry sweet, pretty
Nellie NARROW, who taught in the pri-
mary department of the public school,
and had known him since she was a
wee toddler and he was a gawky,
freckled-faeed schoolboy
I've been iggerin'," he said to his
lanclady, as he sat one night with PEN
ell and paper before him. She had
looked in to collect his board bill, a
week before it was due, to protect her.
self
i've tiggered it out that it's as cheap
for TWO to live as one. | mean that
1t won't cost me any more to get
married and take care of wife than
it does to live single You see, I've
hggered it out The same fire will do
for both, and won't have to pay out
for mending, and there's lot of ways
young man spends money with his
friends that he can save if he has
some one to look after him. I've got
it all down here and added up. and
there is balance j.. favor of my plan
on the credit side"
- figgerin' on the rule that what
amt enough for one is plenty an5
spare for two," thought his ls odladU.
''twon't work, but it's PINE Of NV ~
fairs" 90
Seth Dakin married the little school
mistress and COR brief wear thev
po@iooo WIN his former landlady in
sue. pinched and subdued style that
I they were comfortably wretched most
of the time, and, had it not been
! for the genuine love that existed be-
| tween them, could never have sur.
| vlved their domestic hardships. At
the end of the year Seth did some more
''fggerin'."
This time he figured himself into a
house and lot, on some installment
| plan, and it looked so feasible that
Nellie clapped her hands with enthusi-
asnl-very thin white hands they were.
.'Are you sure it can be doneP" she
asked anxiously. as she reckoned up
the long column of items. s'Can we
ever pay for them?"
Easiest thing IN the world, dear"
Seth answered gently. He was very
fond of lis Nellie. If she had no cloak
fit to wear neither did he have any
overcoat, but went out on the coldest
! day buttoned up and trim
you've forgotten your overcoat,
Mr.. Dakin," said polite friend to him
one day; ''aren't you cold?"
"N-n-n-ever w-wear o-o-ne," stam-
mered the poor fellow, shivering like
a hungry dog over bone Is-s-should
d-despise to r-r-oIl up Like an -o-o-ld
W-woman!'
You see he was only a clerk on
beggarly stipend in time and place
that demanded luxurieS; carpets in
stead of bare floors; meat and pie in
stead OF brown loaves or cabbage and
beans. He could as well have turned
cannibal as to have tried to do without
the end of food they had been reared
upon.
''Figgers don't le," he said cheer
fully. 'Nellie we'll have home"
The house was built for them and
they moved in. For another year they
pinched and saved, and pared down to
the bone. Then Seth began to Gig
ger" again.
This time it was the baby.
He was as cheerful and light-heart-
ed-not the baby, but Seth-as if the
debt on the house was not staring
them in the face. He whistled and
sang, and one night he sat down by
Nellie and showed her two long col
umns of credit and debit.
I've been iggerin' he said gayly,
and that little shaver over there ism.
gong to cost us cent. I've put
everything down that he can possibly
need for a year, and it only adds up
$50. Why, | can make that by writ
ing up books in the evenings this win
ter"
Nellie smiled, but it was uad wan
smile. She began to See. how Seth's
.'nggeun came out-alwavs q de-
ficit instead of q balance bnt she
naru ry ne heart to discourage him.
he baby grew and thrived. His
| mother was his nurse. She was also
chief cook and seamstress, as well as
mistress and housekeeper.
/ 1--WE been figgerin' began Seth one
evening, THAT the baby is the best
economist in the family. He keeps us
from going anywhere, so we can't
spend any money for outside pleasure
if we try. And we're ever so much
happier together, amt we, little man.
MAJ"
The little woman looked very tired,
but she assented with her whole heart
to what Seth said Here was her
world. These two were her treasures.
They had barely been able to pay
the interest on their home with all
of Seth's ''fggerin'," when the baby
was taken very i'll and doctor was
called in
Then followed a dreadful siege of
sickness. The doctor came three or
four times a day. The father and
mother. were watchers and nurses
themselves, but at last the little fellow
was saved and the long, dreadful anx-
iety was over.
Then Seth brought out that we'll
known pencil and paper.
I've been tiggerin," he said, but
this time more gravely than his wont,
''and it seems to me now, if nuthing
happens, that we'll have the house and
lot paid for inside of five years-that
amt long. Nellie, is it?"
Nellie did not answer. She was
looking at the thin hand, o so much
thinner than hers had ever been, that
held the fatal pencil in such a jaunty
way. Her eyes were full of tears.
II oure worn out, he said kindly
but you needn't worry, dec ~
babys all right now, and III sne
germ" We been hg-
lie. ..e- : nguring, too" said Mel
..nd after this | am going to be
accountant of the firm. You've lost
your place at the store, but I've taken
it. | am glad l learned bookkeeping
and | need change of work. Sister
house and the baby and you are to take
vacation.
He gave her one stricken look, then
bowed his head on his arms, and if he
wept 1t did honor to his manhood and
was naught to be ashamed of, since it
was Gods will that he should be laid
aside.
", i